Hampton Eco-fair Puts Earth First

An Eco-Fair at the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton today might be just what you're looking for.

The fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. will offer a look at steps being taken to improve the environment and ways that each of us can make a small difference, said Rose-Marie Seawall, special event manager of the museum.

``I wanted to take a positive approach and look at what has been done and what we can do,'' she said. ``Sometimes you go away from these things feeling so hopeless.''

Participants can see an electric car, part of a fleet of 38 used by Virginia Power, learn how to shop in a more environmentally friendly fashion and browse through products like shoes made from trash and clocks made from recycled compact discs. The fair will also have hands-on activities for kids like face painting.

The electric car, a converted 1992 Geo Metro, is a zero-emission vehicle, meaning it doesn't spew out pollutants that gasoline-powered vehicles do, said Paul McConvey, a senior energy efficiency consultant for Virginia Power.

Besides not polluting, the vehicle can travel 110 miles for every dollar of electricity pumped into it and its engine will probably last for 500,000 miles because it has 70 percent fewer moving parts than its gasoline cousin, he said.

But the biggest limitation to widespread use is the battery system, which can power the vehicle for just 70 miles before it needs to spend four hours recharging, McConvey said.

An enviro-shopping exhibit from the Virginia Cooperative Extension of Newport News will offer common-sense tips, said Johanna Hahn, an extension agent.